Blanton, and Worley, and Trades, Oh My

There has been lots of chatter lately about how good Vance Worley looks thus far in his young career. His starts have been impressive; his relief appearance coming in after Blanton was also a great thing to see. But we all know that change is coming. Whenever Roy Oswalt is ready to return, and Joe Blanton feels back to normal, we know those guys are returning to their spots in the rotation. As our offense struggles to consistently give run support, many fans are starting to wonder what additions can be made to spark the lineup.

Domonic Brown is off to a strong start at AAA Lehigh Valley (.353 avg, and a 1.013 OPS through nine games). It is possible that Domonic Brown, and a healthy Chase Utley are all the help we need. But with a General Manager that loves making moves, and a decent amount of tradable pieces down on the farm, I think it’s safe to assume that Ruben Amaro will be making changes to the roster in July.

The names that I want to focus on right now are Joe Blanton and Vance Worley, two pitchers that would be desirable to different teams, for different reasons.

Clubs that have a chance at the playoffs would probably rather acquire Joe Blanton, a playoff-tested veteran with the proven ability to succeed at the Major League level.

Teams that are looking to move their own veterans (if we are in the market for a Right-Handed OF, or a 2b), those teams would most likely look to add one or more of our younger arms. That is where Vance Worley might come into play… he’s young, he’s talented, he’s cheap and under team control.

If I’m a General Manager, and assuming my team can’t win this year, I’d rather have Worley than Blanton. However, if I run a team in need of a #3-4 type starter, someone to help us down the stretch, and plug into a possible playoff rotation, I’d go after Joe Blanton, asking the Phillies to split the tab.

I keep reading the name Michael Cuddyer (Twins, RF) mentioned as a Phillies target. To me, they would only look to move him if they fall out of contention, and if they get to that point – they would have no need for Joe Blanton, so they would likely ask for Worley PLUS others. Worley isn’t the Phillies highest rated pitching prospect, but he is likely their closest, as he could start for MOST teams right now. I wouldn’t move any of our Top Prospects to rent a player like Cuddyer – but for Worley, I think I’d make the trade. …What do you guys think, who would you rather keep…and who do you think is most likely to leave?